Baron by Joanna Shupe
Publication Date: October 25, 2016
Publisher: Zebra
Amazon Link: HERE
Received From: Author (in exchange for an honest review)


Summary (from Amazon):
New York City's Gilded Age shines as bright as the power-wielding men of the Knickerbocker Club. And one pragmatic industrialist is about to learn that a man may make his own destiny, but love is a matter of fortune...

Born into one of New York's most respected families, William Sloane is a railroad baron who has all the right friends in all the right places. But no matter how much success he achieves, he always wants more. Having secured his place atop the city's highest echelons of society, he's now setting his sights on a political run. Nothing can distract him from his next pursuit—except, perhaps, the enchanting con artist he never saw coming.

Ava Jones has eked out a living the only way she knows how. As "Madam Zolikoff," she hoodwinks gullible audiences into believing she can communicate with the spirit world. But her carefully crafted persona is nearly destroyed when Will Sloane walks into her life—and lays bare her latest scheme. The charlatan is certain she can seduce the handsome millionaire into keeping her secret and using her skills for his campaign—unless he's the one who's already put a spell on her...

Review:
Ava's responsible for taking care of her three siblings but even though all of them work they're barely able to make enough money to stay afloat. One of her brothers is sick while the other wants to join a gang and steal money to help support them, which adds even more stress. Ava just needs a few more months, though, until she can move them to the country, where she hopes to give them a better life. But Ava doesn't expect William Sloane to disrupt her plans. William will do whatever it takes to get rid of Ava so his political partner doesn't rely on her for answers. But Ava won't give up her job, even when Will threatens to discredit her as a medium. As they spend more time together, they realize they have a connection that neither one of them expected—when they're apart they can't stop thinking of each other and when they're together they can't keep their hands to themselves. Even though they're from two separate worlds, will they be able to make a relationship work?

I've read other novels by Joanna Shupe and Baron is by far my favorite because the writing is great and the characters are perfect together. I liked the class difference between Ava and Will, and I appreciated that Ava understood that they likely could never get married and she didn't try to convince Will otherwise. Ava was my favorite part of the story because she was real and gritty and most readers will be able to connect to her. It was fun reading about her medium career and how she performed for her audiences, and it was easy to root for her from the beginning of the story because she would do anything for her siblings. Will, on the other hand, was at times likable but there were times where he wasn't likable, specifically in the way he tried to ruin Ava's career and did whatever he could to have a sexual relationship with her. But even that didn't stop me from liking Will because those aspects made him realistic and swoon worthy. He has all the elements that make up a great hero in a historical romance novel, and although he was stuck in his ways, I liked watching him grow as a character.

Overall, I would definitely recommend Baron.

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Do You Want to Start a Scandal by Tessa Dare
Publication Date: September 27, 2016
Publisher: Avon
Amazon Link: HERE
Received From: Purchased


Summary (from Amazon):
On the night of the Parkhurst ball, someone had a scandalous tryst in the library. Was it Lord Canby, with the maid, on the divan? Or Miss Fairchild, with a rake against the wall? Perhaps the butler did it.

All Charlotte Highroad knows is this: it wasn't her. But rumors to the contrary are buzzing. Unless she can discover the lovers' true identity, she'll be forced to marry Piers Brandon, Lord Granville—the coldest, most arrogantly handsome gentleman she's ever had the misfortune to embrace. When it comes to emotion, the man hasn't got a clue.

But as they set about finding the mystery lovers, Piers reveals a few secrets of his own. The oh-so-proper marquess can pick locks, land punches, tease with sly wit...and melt a woman's knees with a single kiss. The only thing he guards more fiercely than Charlotte's safety is the truth about his dark past. 

Their passion is intense. The danger is real. Soon Charlotte's feeling torn. Will she risk all to prove her innocence? Or surrender it to a man who's sworn to never love?

Review:
When Charlotte attends a house party with her mother, she knows her mother will do whatever she can to get Charlotte engaged to a titled and rich man. So Charlotte meets Piers, Lord Granville, in the library to assure him that marriage is the last thing on her mind, especially to someone so cold and distant. But while they're having this conversation, a couple walks into the room and Piers drags Charlotte behind a curtain to stay hidden so they won't be caught alone. They wait until the couple is done making love on the sofa a few feet away before they can escape, but unfortunately Charlotte's mother discovers them. Piers doesn't want anyone to find out that he's actually a spy and he was in the library to find out information for a mission, so he does the only thing he can—he proposes marriage. Charlotte believes in love, though, and will do anything she can so they aren't forced to marry. She tries to find the real couple that was in the library while they were behind the curtain, but as she does a little spying herself she begins to develop real feelings for Piers. Can Piers open his heart to Charlotte before time runs out and can Charlotte figure out the mystery before she falls in love?

If you're familiar with Tessa Dare, then you know that Charlotte is the sister of Minerva and Diana from the Spindle Cove series, but Do You Want to Start a Scandal isn't set in spindle cover. I was very pleasantly surprised by Do You Want to Start a Scandal and it is now my absolute favorite Tessa Dare novel of all time. Charlotte was so precious. She's was so cute and humorous in the way she rambled and I loved her positive outlook on love. Piers on the other hand was a perfect hero—mysterious, distant and oh so sexy. The two of them together was explosive. From the first page I felt their chemistry and I laughed out loud at so many of the shenanigans these characters got into, including the scene where Piers and Charlotte hid behind the curtain while a couple makes love a few feet away. The writing was also phenomenal. I've always loved Tessa Dare but this one is a step above her other novels—it flowed so well and the writing was outstanding.

I definitely recommend Do You Want to Start a Scandal to anyone looking for a well written and fun historical romance.

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The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
Publication Date: August 9, 2016
Publisher: HarperCollins
Amazon Link: HERE
Received From: Purchased


Summary (from Amazon):
Lucy Hutton and Joshua Templeman hate each other. Not dislike. Not begrudgingly tolerate. Hate. And they have no problem displaying their feelings through a series of ritualistic passive aggressive maneuvers as they sit across from each other, executive assistants to co-CEOs of a publishing company. Lucy can't understand Joshua's joyless, uptight, meticulous approach to his job. Joshua is clearly baffled by Lucy's overly bright clothes, quirkiness, and Pollyanna attitude.

Now up for the same promotion, their battle of wills has come to a head and Lucy refuses to back down when their latest game could cost her dream job...But the tension between Lucy and Joshua has also reached its boiling point, and Lucy is discovering that maybe she doesn't hate Joshua. And maybe, he doesn't hate her either. Or maybe this is just another game.

Review:
On Lucy's first day in the office Joshua refuses to smile at her which begins a rivalry. From the beginning they can't stand each other with their constant bickering and harassment. And now that they're up for the same promotion, their rivalry is kicked up a notch. Lucy can't let Joshua win the promotion because it's her dream job at the publishing company she loves working for. But one day in an elevator changes everything and they begin to rethink their feelings for each other. Lucy is beginning to see Joshua in a new light, a light that might mess up her chances at a promotion if she keeps thinking about Josh in a romantic way. Can their hating game turn into something else...like love?

I absolutely adored this book. From the first page the author caught my attention with her witty writing and interesting characters. Lucy is a great character. She's witty, charming, quirky and very relatable with her clumsiness and mistakes. And Joshua is the perfect hero. He's masculine, hot, and is very serious and determined. Their relationship together was so perfect and I loved every second of it. I love reading a novel that features a love/hate (enemies to lovers) romance, so The Hating Game was right up my alley. I could feel the sparks from the first page and it was interesting to watch Lucy try and sort out her feelings for Josh vice versa. It was romantic. It was funny. It was perfect.

I would definitely recommend The Hating Game to anyone looking for a witty well-written novel with a love/hate relationship.

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Dragon's Lair by Chantal Fernando
Publication Date: October 30, 2014
Publisher: Gallery Books
Amazon Link: HERE
Received From: Purchased


Summary (from Amazon):
The first in a new sexy romance series from bestselling author Chantal Fernando about the bad boys of the Wind Dragons Motorcycle Club and the women who fall in love with them.

When I found my boyfriend cheating on me, I did something stupid.

Or should I say, someone?

Because of that mistake, I'm now stuck in a world I don't belong in.

I'm a law student. They're criminals. He's the vice president of a motorcycle club. I'm a good girl with a strict upbringing. He's my ex-boyfriend's brother.

And I'm screwed.

Review:
When Faye walks in on her boyfriend having sex, she's devastated. So devastated that she goes to a bar by herself and ends up having mind blowing sex with Dex. Not only has Faye had a crush on Dex since she was a young girl, but he's also her ex-boyfriend's brother, and not to mention the vice president of a dangerous motorcycle club. Faye doesn't think one night with Dex can hurt, but she's wrong when the condom breaks and she ends up pregnant. Her parents kick her out and now her future as a lawyer seems unreachable. But when Dex shows up, angry that Faye didn't tell him about the baby, she's surprised that he wants to remain part of her life. He brings her back to his motorcycle club house, where she'll live for the next several months. And while at first Faye is nervous about living with a bunch of men who live for partying and sex, after getting to know them, she realizes they're not so bad after all. It tears Faye up, though, to see Dex with all the women he's slept with in the past, even though she knows she doesn't have a right to be jealous because they're not exactly dating. But spending time with Dex makes Faye realize that she wants something more—a family. But will Dex be able to put his fast lifestyle behind him and focus on the best thing that's ever happened to him?

This was the first novel I read by Chantal Fernando, and it definitely won't be my last. Dragon's Lair features a relationship between a good girl, Faye, and a bad boy, Dex. What I really appreciated about the book was that the author didn't make the story all about the happily-ever-after but instead added grit and realness that made the characters relatable and the story much more realistic. I also loved both Faye and Dex. I liked the fact that Faye stood up to Dex and the other men in the clubhouse, even though she obviously wouldn't have been able to physically defend herself. And I also appreciated her humor, which Chantal Fernando wrote perfectly into the story, and which I found myself laughing out loud several times. Dex was also likable even though he kept making mistakes. He never cheated on Faye, which would have been unredeemable to me, and always tried to make it up to Faye. Although he was rough on the outside and inside, there was still a caring side to him. I also loved all of the secondary characters, which Chantal Fernando did a great job of developing for future stories.

Overall, I couldn't put Dragon's Lair down and recommend it to anyone looking for a contemporary romance featuring a motorcycle club, pregnancy, and a good girl/bad boy relationship.

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One Reckles Summer by Toni Blake
Publication Date: May 21, 2009
Publisher: Harper Collins
Amazon Link: HERE
Received From: Purchased


Summary (from Amazon):
It's tough to play it cool on a sultry summer night...

The perfect daughter. The perfect prom queen. The perfect wife. Jenny Tolliver's been the good girl all her life, and it's gotten her nowhere. Now that her marriage has been busted up by her cheating ex, she's decided it's time to regroup and rediscover herself. This summer she's headed back to her hometown of Destiny, Ohio to the very lakeshore cottage where she grew up, to figure out what life holds in store for her next.

She never dreamed the answer would be Mick Brody, Destiny's #1 hell raiser. He comes from the wrong side of the tracks (or in his case, the lake) and he's landed in hot water more times than he can count. He's exactly the kind of guy Jenny's always kept her distance from...but soon the good girl and the bad boy are caught in a raw heat that's out of control. Too bad Mick's got a secret that threatens to tear them apart and ruin Jenny's perfectly, passionately reckless summer...

Review:
After Jenny discovers her husband making out with her teaching assistant, Jenny divorces him and moves back to Destiny, where she grew up, for the summer. On Jenny's first night back she rows across the lake so she can more easily see the sky with her telescope, but is surprisingly stopped by Mick Brody, who tells her to get off of his land. Mick Brody was always known as the bad boy when she was younger and although they never said more than a few words to each other, she secretly had a crush on him in high school. So it's more than surprising to see Mick again, especially because everyone knows the Brody family left. Or did they? Mick threatens Jenny so she won't tell anyone, especially her policeman father. But before either of them know, they're having sex—on the ground, in the woods, and one time isn't enough. Mick can't keep his hands off of Jenny, even though he knows she's off limits. And there's something exhilarating about having a secret affair with a bad boy. But will Mick's secret come between them, and can they make a relationship work even though they live completely different lives?

This is one of the first romance novels that I've ever read, so it will always hold a special place in my heart. But putting those feelings aside, this is also one of the best romance novels that I've ever read because of the relatable characters and great writing. I've always been a fan of the good girl/bad boy relationship, so I enjoyed the fact that Jenny was the typical popular girl, except that she was also smart and down to earth, while Mick was the typical bad boy, that had broken the law in the past, and who reformed his life to better himself. Toni Blake did a great job of balancing the plot and the sex scenes, so it never felt like an erotica, and you can also feel the chemistry between Jenny and Mick from the first page, which is important in a romance. The story overall is also well written and the plot kept me interested .

Overall, I would definitely recommend One Reckless Summer to anyone looking for a great contemporary romance that features a good girl/bad boy romance.

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The Governess Affair by Courtney Milan
Publication Date: April 21, 2012
Publisher: Self Published
Amazon Link: HERE
Received From: Purchased


Summary (from Amazon):
Hugo Marshall earned the nickname "the Wolf of Clermont" for his ruthless ambition--a characteristic that has served him well, elevating the coal miner's son to the right hand man of a duke. When he's ordered to get rid of a pestering governess by fair means or foul, it's just another day at work.

But after everything Miss Serena Barton has been through at the hands of his employer, she is determined to make him pay. She won't let anyone stop her--not even the man that all of London fears. They might call Hugo Marshall the Wolf of Clermont, but even wolves can be brought to heel...

Review:
After the Duke of Clermont wrongs Serena, while she was working in his household, she goes to him for payment. But the Duke refuses her request, so Serena decides to sit outside his residence every day, all day, until he gives her what she wants. The Duke instructs Hugo to get rid of Serena before his wife finds out, and Hugo, who has to fulfill the request in order to get his money so he can start his own empire, obeys. But even after filling her bench with other people so she has to stand all day, and threatening to throw Serena and her sister out of their apartments, Serena refuses to give in for the little sum Hugo tries to persuade her to take. And after a few days of being in each others company, stubbornness turns into something more and they can't help but wonder if giving in will get them what they truly desire. 

I've read and enjoyed novels by Courtney Milan before, and The Governess Affair was no different. I was pleasantly surprised by both Serena and Hugo, because Serena was stubborn but in a way that I couldn't help but admire and Hugo was a good man behind his gruffness and ambition. Their characters also came across as real and believable, which was one of the things that really stood out to me. This is a novella, since it's only 98 pages, but not once did I think the story progressed too fast. Courtney Milan did a great job with developing the characters in such a short time, and I almost wished the story was longer because I enjoyed the characters so much. 

Overall, I would definitely recommend The Governess Affair by Courtney Milan to anyone looking for a well-written historical romance novella. 

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